Extensiqn-table



upper portion of said table.

transverse section on line w of Fig. 1.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM BLANKNER, OF'CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ExTENsIoN-TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 498,230, dated May 30,1893. Application filed January 23, 18921. Serial No. 419,072. (Nomodel.)

.To a/ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM BLANKNER, a citizen of the .United States,residing at Chi-,g cago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented a certain new and usefull Improvement 'inExtension-Tables, of which the following is a specification. l

My invention relates to the improvement of extension tables and hasparticular relationt to the improvement of that class of extension ofwhich the folding top sections may be locked;

in the desired position and a iiush surfacef` for the table top may beattained; to provide; improved means'for preventing the hinged leavesfrom wearing the guide-ways in the` side pieces of the table by unduefrictional contact; to construct my improved table in a simple, neat andpractical form, and to pro-l vide other improvementsv which will be morespecifically pointed out hereinafter. These objects I accomplishin themannerillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichl Figure 1 is aplan view of my improved ta; ble, showing the top sections partlyextended and showing a portion of the permanent and traveling leavesbroken away for the sake of clearness. Fig. 2 is a side elevation oftheFig. 3 is a cen- Fig. 4 is a Y i Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of theguide-plates employed as hereinafter described. Fig. 6 is a view inperspective showing several of the hinged table leavesjointedlyconnected. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the inner side of a portion of oneof theside pieces of a table showing a modified formof guide-way for thetrav-- trai longitudinal section thereof.

eling leaves and showing the latter in section, c

and Fig. 8 is a detail View in perspective of the'end portion of one ofthe locking strips.

and which as usual are' supported from ther side frame-pieces a. Theouter end of each of the inner slides c2 is connected in the usualmanner with one of the legs c and adapted to travel outward with saidleg when the table is extended.y Upon the slides c2 aresecured at eachend of the table t'wo or more topl boards-d. Rigidly secured totlleupper sides of the boards' ofthe side-pieces a, at the centers ofthe'lengths thereof, is a central crosspiece d', thev length of which isequal to the width of the table top.

Formed in each of thetable side pieces, on each side of the center ofthe length thereof, are guide-ways d2. The open mouths of theseguide-ways are as shown in the drawings, adjoining opposite sides of thecenter strip d', from which point said guide-ways curve downward towardthe lowerside of theside pieces o., thence-extend toward the outer endsthereof and'terminate in upward curves and short inward `terminationsthereof, as indicated. On opposite sides of the center of the length Vofthe table and midway between the side frame pieces a are arrangedparallel with said side pieces, guide pieces c2, .saidguide-pieces beingsupported upontheL transverse crosspieces c which extend between theside pieces a. These guide-pieces e2 are of equal height with the sidepieces and Aare'each provided with a metallic guide-stripl e8 which issecured to and bindsthe edge of said guide-piece and overlaps one sideof the latter.

In each of the guide-pieces e2 is formed a guide-way e7 which isopposite and conforms lto, the terminating portions ofthe guide-ways d2of the side-pieces.

e represents the jointed leaf sections of my improved table, which areadapted'to fold IOO hinged leaf sections to produce a table-topcontinuation of the `leaves d. s As shown in' the drawings, the hingedleaf sections are adapted to bear and slide lupon the upper sides of thetable side-pieces a. These hinged i leaf sections are also adapted whenforced inward to travel in the slotted guide-ways d2.

f represents two locking strips, of a length lequal to the width of thetabletop. The inner edges of these strips f normally abut against thelonger edges of the center strip d. These locking strips fare jointedlyconnected `with said center strip d' by joint plates f', one end of eachof which is j ointe'dly connected with the end of the center .stripandthe outer en'dthereof is rigidly connected j with the endV of thelocking .strip. Each of `these locking strips is notched throughout itslength yand on its under side toproduce'atQ the outer edge thereof, alongitu'dinal'projection or tooth indicated'at g.

Securedto the under side of eachof jointed leaves e4 at one side of andadjacent to thecenter ofthe length thereof, is fa inetallio guideplatet', the inner endof cach of,

said plates having a downward andinwarll'yf` extending tongue orextension t? whichem-f braces or over-laps the under side ofthe pro" sjecting portion of the guide strip e3 and forms a bearing for thelatter.

The operation of lny improved table so as described, is asv follows: Itbeing desiredl to shorten or produce ave'ontractlon ofthe table and thelocking strips f being elevated to the `position shown in FiggS of the`drawings, the top` sections are forcedinward Vto,` ward each other. Theforce thus imparted results in thehinged or'jointed'leaves of said jsestiosnaveiig downward interne curved guide-ways d2 of thesidepiecesand into the corresponding guide-way elof the guide-piece e2.Itise'v'ident from the construction shown, and described, 'that thisfolding novement of the hinged leaves may be continued until tlie jouter and wider leaves d are at 'the ,'inoutlis of the slottedguide-waysdzfand `said jointed leaf sections have reached the innerend por` tionsof the guideliivays."` This havingbeen accomplished`- the locking piecesO r sti-ips f f 4 maybe dropped downward `until flush with the leaves CZand the center strip d', theflon gnndinai teethbr tongues `g of saidlocking strips being allowed to enter and lill the coi-- respondinglyshaped space between thelast leaf e4 and the inner leaf d2. As shown inthe drawings, these teeth and tongues g of the locking strips f, may, ina similar manner be made to enter and fill correspondingly shaped thief`lower ends of which norina'lly bear nponvblock 4rests k2 aixed to the.inner sides ofthe side spaces ,between any of the jointed leaves, thusadmitting of the table being contracted or extended to anydesired extentand the lock ing strips dropped to a flush p sition therewith. Owing tothe fact that the tongues or teeth g of the locking strips are adaptedto engage as described, with the jointed leaves, it will readily be seenthat they will serve to lock said jointed leaf sections from accidentalinward movement. The bearing of the first jointed leaf e4 which iswithin the guide-way mouths being against the inclined or beveled innerface of thelocking strip tooth, it is evident that the necessity ofraising the locking strip before pulling out one of the joint leaf 4sections to extend thetablefis obviated as the upward andfoutwardpressure of` the joint Aleaf upon saidinclined tooth face A will operatein itself to suftieientlyelevate the locking strip. It is also evidentfront Vthe `construction shown and described, that either ot"` both ofthe leaf sectionsmrnay be drawnout or vforced inward, as desired.

I n order to prevent any tendency` of the splitting or breaking4 down ofthe sidepieces a or those port-ions in""whi`ch are `cnt/"the slottedguide-ways d?, I pivot, tothe `inner side of` .each ofthe side` piecesagainst the tongue portions 7c thereof, whieh'ae lforned `by the ipartially surrOinding guide-ways, `the 4ripper ends of braoeflteliplates lo', the ionnded pieces ct, vertically beneath' ,the pivot pointsof said brace plaftes When `t`;l'1e; joi 1 1ted leaves of"the,.wp'sdtionsjarsfaded inward, fthe first of saidjjoint'ed leaveswhich comes initd contact with saidy `made pistes 75' win `operate toraisethe same out ofthe path of jsdidleaves Whenthe hitter afsdrawn out-'war'd, said braeeiplates `willfdrop byg'ravity i totheirnornial'position andthsserve to,` supporter reinforce rtheside`pieces. As shown ,in Fig. :7 ofjthedrawings, 1 may so enlarge Ztheinnerend portion offtheguide-ways d2 as'to admit'of fthe jointed leafsections when o f Vuniis'ual length beingdropped within said guide-ways;

`It is evident from the construction `:herein shown and describedthaftmy `iIIl'pIOVedta- .fble Inaiybe produced ataieasonableeost ofmanufacture and that thesarne maybe extended or contracted ivithbutslight exeiftion, Itwill'also be Seen that my iinprovedjcon- St'cutionwill afford 'Sli'd "dnd `l l1S`l1 `tOp v and that the foldingfpartswillin nowise interfere 'with the nseflness of the table.

` Havingnow fullydescribed my invention, what I claim, and desiretosecure by Letters Patent,'is i l. I n anextension table,theco1nbination with the franie and slides therefor, rthe side `pieces aand intervening `guide;pieces e2, curved guide-.waysin saidjsideandguide pieces and strip es projecting as described from said guidepiece e2, of the permanent top leaves, jointed leaf sections e adaptedto IIO travel as described, Within said curved guide Ways, guide-platesor brackets i as described on said jointed leaf sections, topcross-piece pieces a and intervening guide-pieces e2 and curvedguide-Ways in said side and guide 15 pieces, bracing latch k pivotallyconnected with said side pieces, above the guide-Way slots and a blockk2 projecting from said side pieces beneath said slots on which saidlatch pieces are adapted to rest, substantially ass and 2c i for thepurpose specified.

i WILLIAM BLANKNKER.

In lpresence of-v C.- C. SHEPHERD, BARTON GRIFFITH.

